Students will be learning about how to quantize things in different ways. They will learn that different elements have different masses (atomic mass). They will learn that the easiest way to count a number of atoms will be by applying the atomic mass.
Learning Performances
Students will identify different types of units and understand how to use them (mass, volume, quantity)
Students will define an atomic mass and understand it’s application to chemistry
Do Now: I will post these questions up on the board along with the daily agenda for the day which they can answer in any way they would like:
A yard is
A foot is
A meter is
A pound is
A ream of paper is _
A dozen is _
We will go over the answers and I will ask them what these all have in common. They should point out that they are all ways of counting or quantizing things.
20 minutes: The lesson will begin with a bucket of ping-pong balls and a bucket of golf balls in the front of the room along with a mass balance. I can hold up one of each and ask the class to give me their observations, "What differences and similarities do you see between these two balls." Ideally, I would try to disguise them so that they seem quite similar in appearance at first; this could be used to my advantage because it will give me the element of surprise and could be used to grasp their attention. That could be difficult though so this lesson is under the assumption that the students can see the difference between the golf ball and the ping pong ball. I intend to activate their prior knowledge by asking them questions about the balls, "Is it possible for these two balls two have different masses, properties, etc." I will then explain to them that today's lesson will be about how the atoms of different elements compare to each other. As they give me some similarities/differences I will record them on the board in a table similar to the one that they will see on their worksheet. I could also try doing one of each type of ball at a time so they can see internal similarities with the golf balls and with the ping-pong balls. I would want them to quantify the balls for me in more than one way (e.g. mass of each ball & # of balls) and by the end of the lesson they should be able to label one thing with multiple types of units.
Instructional Activities
60 minutes: I will inform them that the golf ball and the ping pong ball are analogous to atoms of two different elements. I can compare the masses of the two to atomic masses in an attempt to show them that an atomic mass is just a number representing a mass of a certain number of atoms (that certain number of atoms will be left undiscussed until the appropriate lesson). I will then proceed to weigh the two types of balls and record the results of avg. mass on the board. I want them to realize that looks can be deceiving and even though I measured the same amount of balls each, I still recorded different masses for the two. I can then explain what I would like to have them do. I would like for them to show me that they can count paper clips without having to actually count them. I will tell them that this is the way we count atoms because it is easier then counting each one individually. The activity includes them getting a random number of paper clips, weighing a sample and computing an average mass, then predicting how many they have using that information. Each groups' bag will have the same size paper clips, but each group will have paper clips of a different size. This will represent different elements; e.g. one groups may have Hydrogen while another group may have Oxygen. Each group will also report their results on the board in the front of the class. Their worksheet will include a purpose for the activity and procedure for the paper clip lab. I will allow them to form their own groups for this activity because I would like to just observe and get a feel for which students are working well together and take a small formative assessment on how quickly they can proceed with the lab. I will approach groups who seem to be having trouble and help them along by trying to guide them to the answers to their own questions.
Concluding the Lesson
10 minutes: The purpose of the lesson was to teach the students that there can be many different ways to quantify things. The units can not be ignored as a scientist. I would also like to get them to realize the importance of conversions and units. One great example would be to explain how most countries use units that are different than the United States'. I would try asking questions to try to "pull" this information from them, hopefully they can make this determination on their own.
Finally, I would ask them why this lesson had this title, even though we didn't even use apples or oranges. I want them to realize that:
a) Two different apples, both being an apple, could still have two different masses
b) Two different golf balls both being a golf ball should have the same mass and will always have the same mass
Assessing Student Understanding
I want them to understand that it is for the above reasons that taking the average mass of a sample of apples and using it as a standard wouldn't make much sense. But it makes perfect sense to use it for atoms, which are more like golf balls and ping-pong balls then they are apples and oranges. I will collect their worksheets when they have completed the lab to check their answers and make sure they made the correct calculations. This will serve as the assessment for this class period. I will also be taking a formative assessment while walking around during the lab by asking questions to check for understanding. Questions such as, "Why do you need an average mass?" and "Why do you think all the paper clips in your bag are one size while other groups' bags have paper clips of another size?"
Cautions
There do no seem to be any dangerous materials associated with this class lesson.
Sources
Wilbraham, A., Staley, D., Matta, M. & Waterman, E. (2002). Chemistry. Addison-Wesley.
Title:
Comparing Apples to OrangesGrade Level:
11Course:
General ChemistryLesson Overview
Students will be learning about how to quantize things in different ways. They will learn that different elements have different masses (atomic mass). They will learn that the easiest way to count a number of atoms will be by applying the atomic mass.Learning Performances
Students will identify different types of units and understand how to use them (mass, volume, quantity)Students will define an atomic mass and understand it’s application to chemistry
Links to Standards or Benchmarks
Steve Cannici - Learning Goal AnalysisMaterials Needed
*Ping Pong Balls*Golf Balls
*Paper Clips
*Mass Balance
*Paper & Pencil
*Calculator
Time Required
~ 90 min.Instructional Sequence
Introducing the lesson
Daily Agenda:Do Now: I will post these questions up on the board along with the daily agenda for the day which they can answer in any way they would like:
A yard is
A foot is
A meter is
A pound is
A ream of paper is _
A dozen is _
We will go over the answers and I will ask them what these all have in common. They should point out that they are all ways of counting or quantizing things.
20 minutes: The lesson will begin with a bucket of ping-pong balls and a bucket of golf balls in the front of the room along with a mass balance. I can hold up one of each and ask the class to give me their observations, "What differences and similarities do you see between these two balls." Ideally, I would try to disguise them so that they seem quite similar in appearance at first; this could be used to my advantage because it will give me the element of surprise and could be used to grasp their attention. That could be difficult though so this lesson is under the assumption that the students can see the difference between the golf ball and the ping pong ball. I intend to activate their prior knowledge by asking them questions about the balls, "Is it possible for these two balls two have different masses, properties, etc." I will then explain to them that today's lesson will be about how the atoms of different elements compare to each other. As they give me some similarities/differences I will record them on the board in a table similar to the one that they will see on their worksheet. I could also try doing one of each type of ball at a time so they can see internal similarities with the golf balls and with the ping-pong balls. I would want them to quantify the balls for me in more than one way (e.g. mass of each ball & # of balls) and by the end of the lesson they should be able to label one thing with multiple types of units.
Instructional Activities
60 minutes: I will inform them that the golf ball and the ping pong ball are analogous to atoms of two different elements. I can compare the masses of the two to atomic masses in an attempt to show them that an atomic mass is just a number representing a mass of a certain number of atoms (that certain number of atoms will be left undiscussed until the appropriate lesson). I will then proceed to weigh the two types of balls and record the results of avg. mass on the board. I want them to realize that looks can be deceiving and even though I measured the same amount of balls each, I still recorded different masses for the two. I can then explain what I would like to have them do. I would like for them to show me that they can count paper clips without having to actually count them. I will tell them that this is the way we count atoms because it is easier then counting each one individually. The activity includes them getting a random number of paper clips, weighing a sample and computing an average mass, then predicting how many they have using that information. Each groups' bag will have the same size paper clips, but each group will have paper clips of a different size. This will represent different elements; e.g. one groups may have Hydrogen while another group may have Oxygen. Each group will also report their results on the board in the front of the class. Their worksheet will include a purpose for the activity and procedure for the paper clip lab. I will allow them to form their own groups for this activity because I would like to just observe and get a feel for which students are working well together and take a small formative assessment on how quickly they can proceed with the lab. I will approach groups who seem to be having trouble and help them along by trying to guide them to the answers to their own questions.Concluding the Lesson
10 minutes: The purpose of the lesson was to teach the students that there can be many different ways to quantify things. The units can not be ignored as a scientist. I would also like to get them to realize the importance of conversions and units. One great example would be to explain how most countries use units that are different than the United States'. I would try asking questions to try to "pull" this information from them, hopefully they can make this determination on their own.Finally, I would ask them why this lesson had this title, even though we didn't even use apples or oranges. I want them to realize that:
a) Two different apples, both being an apple, could still have two different masses
b) Two different golf balls both being a golf ball should have the same mass and will always have the same mass
Assessing Student Understanding
I want them to understand that it is for the above reasons that taking the average mass of a sample of apples and using it as a standard wouldn't make much sense. But it makes perfect sense to use it for atoms, which are more like golf balls and ping-pong balls then they are apples and oranges. I will collect their worksheets when they have completed the lab to check their answers and make sure they made the correct calculations. This will serve as the assessment for this class period. I will also be taking a formative assessment while walking around during the lab by asking questions to check for understanding. Questions such as, "Why do you need an average mass?" and "Why do you think all the paper clips in your bag are one size while other groups' bags have paper clips of another size?"Cautions
There do no seem to be any dangerous materials associated with this class lesson.Sources
Wilbraham, A., Staley, D., Matta, M. & Waterman, E. (2002). Chemistry. Addison-Wesley.Fogleman, Jay (title & material)
Demo LP Eval - Steve C